MKT 450 Full Course Assignments GCU

The purpose of this assignment is to identify growth opportunities for an organization based on the business, mission, and goals of the organization.

Defining the business, mission, and goals of an organization and using these as a guide for developing a framework to encourage growth opportunities within an organization is crucial for promoting success. A SWOT analysis is helpful for organizations to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities for the future growth of the organization. Review the SWOT analysis material included in the study materials and apply what you have learned by conducting a SWOT analysis.

1. Select an organization for which you will conduct a SWOT analysis.
2. Create a SWOT analysis framework with representative examples for the organization you selected. Focus on both internal and external factors that play a role in the growth of the organization. Consider the business, mission, and goals of the organization as you develop this analysis.
3. Once you have completed the SWOT analysis, offer three specific suggestions to the company for capitalizing on strengths and addressing weaknesses in order to promote success in the coming year.

APA style is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

The purpose of this assignment is to explain the marketing decision-making process and to assess strategic issues and problems associated with marketing.

Amazon began in the late 1990s as an online bookseller in a highly fragmented market for books and associated reading materials (periodicals, audiobooks, etc.). By the early 2000s, Amazon was a successful online business with other product lines, including music, games, and housewares. The company’s early success was fueled by affiliations with small retailers nationwide who could advertise and sell on the Amazon.com website. Amazon also developed an easy-to-use navigation and search function and kept detailed records on prospects and customers. The consumer information permitted Amazon to promote products that appealed to each consumer individually based on prior history of searches and purchases. The company has expanded internationally, added product lines and services, and continued to grow both top-line revenue and bottom-line profits. Today, its founder, Jeff Bezos, is the richest man in the world.

Amazon has also been accused of driving booksellers like Borders out of business and creating an online sales juggernaut that has pressured Walmart, Target, and other large retailers into creating their own online businesses to remain competitive. Amazon has been accused of taking unfair advantage of the U.S. Postal Service by pressuring it into delivering packages at low costs and profit margins. The city of Seattle, Amazon’s home town, has suffered while Amazon grew: Housing prices in Seattle have skyrocketed, creating a difficult housing market for poorer families. Amazon has recently expanded its distribution services and purchased Whole Foods. Therefore, the company is at a strategic crossroads.

Read the Amazon.com, 2018 case study. Create a SWOT analysis for Amazon based on the case study. Define two or three items for each quadrant of the SWOT. In a 500-750-word paper, describe the strategic decisions facing Amazon and recommend strategic actions. Address the following in the paper:

1. Briefly summarize the key business sectors currently in the Amazon portfolio.
2. Make recommendations for the strategic choices that will work best for Amazon in the next 5-10 years based upon your assessment of strategic issues and problem.
3. Recommend three to five business strategies focusing on the elements of the marketing mix (product/service, price, promotion, place [distribution], people, processes, and physical evidence) to justify your choices.
4. Include the SWOT analysis as an appendix for the paper.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate current marketing strategies to determine a marketing mix that drive sales and maximize long-term profits.

At this point in the Marketplace Simulation, your team has assessed marketing opportunities and completed a test strategy for marketing the product. The results attained from the test strategy should be used to guide revisions for the successful marketing of the product. In a 500-750 word individual paper, evaluate the marketing strategies currently in place and address the following.

1. Report objectives, marketing decisions, and strategies for your team’s brands, pricing, advertising, and selling based upon what has been completed in the simulation through Quarter 4.
2. Define specific product positioning for all brands and explain why the positioning appeals to selected target markets.
3. Recommend comprehensive marketing strategies for each brand, including pricing, advertising, and selling strategies. Justify the recommendation based on the sales and profits of the product within the simulation.
4. Evaluate the importance of brand equity and brand management for the team’s success in Quarters 5-8.
5. Show specific prices for each brand and estimate demand (number of units sold) for each quarter. Use the prices and demand estimates to forecast sales for each quarter. Display the resulting data on a pro forma profit and loss statement for Quarters 5-8.
6. Estimate costs for every category and display the resulting data on a pro forma profit and loss statement for Quarters 5-8. Project financial outcomes (gross profit, operating profit, net profit, and cumulative net profit) for Quarters 5-8 and display the results on a pro forma profit and loss statement for each quarter.

You are expected to complete items 1-6 above on your own without collaborating with your CLC group. This individual assessment will serve as your input prior to developing the marketing plan as a group. It is important to clearly articulate your stance for the future of the product prior to developing the marketing plan. In Topic 5 your group will evaluate the Benchmark – Marketplace Simulation: Quarter 4 Summary assignment submissions made by each group member and use them as a basis for developing the marketing plan for the product.

Submit the paper and pro forma profit and loss statement to the instructor.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:

BS Marketing

5.1: Formulate objectives and manage marketing decisions and strategies for product and services markets.

5.3: Determine marketing mix strategies that drive sales and maximize long-term profitability in the marketplace.

This is a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) assignment.

The purpose of this assignment is to create a marketing plan.

As your team continues to proceed through each quarter of the Marketplace Simulation, it is essential to prepare an outline for your marketing plan. In a 500-750 word document, include the following:

Executive Summary

Review of Financial and Market Performance During Previous Year

Assessment of Current Situation and the Market

Create a table that represents the items listed below:

1. Customers
2. Competition
3. Company’s strengths and weaknesses
4. Major problems/opportunities to be addressed in the following year

Marketing Strategy for the Next Year in the Business (What will it take to get ahead or stay ahead?)

1. Brand strategy
2. Pricing strategy
3. Advertising strategy
4. Sales channel

Pro Forma Financial Projections (Excel spreadsheet for Quarters 1-8)

1. Copy the pro forma in the simulation for Quarters 1-4 into Excel and add information/data for Quarters 5-8.

Tactical Plan (Quarters 1-8)

The tactical plan should articulate what is planned for each quarter. For example, Q6-open three offices, Paris, London, and New York. Each office will staff five employees, one service and four sales personnel, with two sales staff for priority 1 and 2 target markets, at a determined cost. The reader should then be able to see the cost entry on the pro forma. Every planned expenditure shown on the pro forma should include an explanation on the tactical plan. Revenue should reflect the projected number of units, price of each, and the cost of goods sold.

Submit the Word document, including the table, and the Excel spreadsheet.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

This is a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) assignment.

The purpose of this assignment is to present a comprehensive financial report to a company’s executive board.

Use what you have learned from the Marketplace Simulation activities and instructor feedback to create a 750-1,000 word report that can be presented to the company’s executive board. The report should address the following:

Part 1

Summarize the second year financial and market performance by highlighting key features of the business plan, including:

1. Brand strategy
2. Pricing strategy
3. Advertising strategy
4. Sales channels

Part 2

Assess the second year business strategy and performance and discuss the following:

1. Compare actions taken against the marketing plan.
2. Discuss departures from the marketing plan, including justification and outcomes.
3. Review significant events that affected the company or market.

Part 3:

Using the balanced scorecard, assess the company’s current situation and the market.

1. Identify the company’s strengths and weaknesses.
2. Summarize how you have prepared the firm to compete in the future.

General Requirements

APA style is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

This is a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) assignment.

The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate professional presentation skills to communicate company performance information.

Using the content from the Marketplace Simulation and the CLC – Marketplace Simulation: Final Report assignment, create a 10-15 slide PowerPoint presentation for the executive board.

Information reported should focus on operations since presenting the marketing plan to the executive board. Slides should address each of the key areas listed below and should include speaker notes and discussion of the following:

1. Market performance
2. Financial performance
3. Departures from the plan, including justification
4. Plan for the future

General Requirements:

Refer to the resource, “Creating Effective PowerPoint Presentations,” located in the Student Success Center, for additional guidance on completing this assignment in the appropriate style.

Submit the PowerPoint presentation that includes speaker notes.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

This is a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) assignment.

No student submission is required for this assignment. This is the final grade for the entire online Marketplace Simulation, and it will be entered by the instructor. Refer to the “Marketplace Simulation Overview” handout in the course materials for scoring guide details and point-to-letter grade equivalencies.